Business of Architecture Podcast

Today you'll hear from a leading UK architect who has impacted the built environment through design and development.

Today we're going to pick up where we left off last week and talk with business expert Scott Beebe about actual case studies of architecture firm owners who are building a freedom firm - a firm that has real value, that can be sold if they choose, and that increases their net worth even when they aren't there. On today's show you'll discover: How to build an architecture firm you can sell (or transition to someone else) How to build the value of your firm How to create a firm that can run without you Case studies of architects that are building their freedom firm The freedom of an architect who travels the countryside in his RV

Today you'll hear from a guest who focuses on liberating architecture firm owners from the chaos of working in their business. Scott Beebe is a business growth and scaling expert who helps architecture firm owners create a firm that runs by itself. Billionaire real estate entrepreneur Gary Keller says that you are only a business owner if you can walk away from your business and your net worth increases. If you can't walk away from your business and increase your net revenue, you're just an employee of your business with management responsibilities and risk. In this interview, you'll discover how to create a business of which you are an owner, not just an employee. You'll learn how to create a business that has real value beyond you. With a business that practically runs itself, all areas of your life can improve - your relationships, your home life, and your personal quality of life. Stress can evaporate like the morning fog.

Today Rion Willard speaks with the accomplished, design-forward British architect Carl Turner. This episode is full of amazing insight into the business lessons that Carl Turner has learned as he has explored the intersection between great business and great design. On today's episode you'll discover: - How architect Carl Turner started his practice - How he designed his own award-winning house and leveraged that effort to get exposure and prominence through the media - How he uses the concept of "optimizing profit" (instead of "maximizing profit") to partner with development entities to create projects that revitalize underused areas I think you'll love this episode with Carl Turner, and if you do, I'd love to have you leave a review on iTunes or Stitcher.

Today is the 2nd half of my interview with architect Scott Lowe, co-founder of 5G Studio Collaborative. If you haven't listened to last week's episode #227, you'll definitely want to catch the first part of my conversation with Scott where he talks about how they grew their international design focused practice. This year 5G Studio collaborative was ranked #29 on the Architect 50 in the category of "Business" and #31 in the category of Design, which is impressive for a firm that was founded in 2005. In this episode, Scott talks about the importance of building a world-class team - that big results come from a team effort. In the last episode, you heard Scott hint at the "franchise" office model that they've used to open new office locations and provide opportunities for team members. In this episode we dive into this intriguing business model in detail. You'll also discover: Two hard lessons that Scott has learned in business How to respond when clients go to a cheaper firm How to create relationships that turn into work The 4 things you need to be an ultra-competitive firm on an international scale And Scott's 2 elements of strategic thinking. You'll discover this and more in this interview with Architect Scott Lowe of 5G Studio Collaborative.

Today's interview is likely to blow your mind if you're looking to grow a profitable and impactful firm. Our guest today is Scott Lowe, co-founder of 5G Studio Collaborative, a firm with offices in Dallas, Atlanta, Miami and Asia. In this episode, Scott shares how he and his partners went from launching a furniture manufacturing business to running an internationally successful, design focused architecture firm. You'll also discover: How their furniture business opened up the avenues to launch an international practice in Asia. How they've applied the lessons they've learned in manufacturing to architecture Scott's simple process for building trust with new clients The "Godfather" offer that potential clients can't refuse You'll discover this and more in this interview with Architect Scott Lowe of 5G Studio Collaborative.

On today's episode of the Business of Architecture show we speak with Ed Bourget - a principal with saam architecture, based in Boston Massachusetts. Saam architecture offers some employee benefits I think you'll find to be very interesting - 100% flexible office hours and unlimited paid vacations. Today we talk about how to communicate as a team so that the team can accomplish powerful things together. You'll hear about the Monday meeting powow that ensures projects stay on track, and how to ensure team work and coordination among people who aren't in the same physical location.

Today we speak with architects Peter Exley FAIA and Jane Frederick FAIA. Peter Exley has established an internationally recognized practice of architecture for children, families, and communities, elevating the standards of design for learning and play environments. He is the co-founder of Architecture Is Fun, a Chicago-based architecture, design, and consulting firm. Robert Venturi, FAIA, and Denise Scott Brown, Hon. FAIA, once noted that the projects of Architecture Is Fun are ìworks of significance and relevance, joy and seriousness, range and depth.î Dedicated to helping the next generation of architects, Peter has also been an adjunct professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) for more than 20 years. Peter has served the AIA in a number of roles, including as President of AIA Chicago, Illinois regional representative to the Strategic Council, chair of the Public Awareness Campaign Subcommittee of the Public Outreach Committee, as well as a liaison to the Young Architects Forum. Jane Frederick is a partner at Frederick + Frederick Architects based in Beaufort, South Carolina. She is a Fellow in the Aspen Global Leadership Network and currently serves on the American Institute of Architects Board as one of three At-Large Directors. Jane is also the recipient of the Architect Marketing Institute's Business Achievement Award. Today we speak with Jane and Peter about a resource developed by the AIA to help us as architects and designers do a better job of communicating the value we bring to our clients, our cities and our environments. In design school, we're taught to communicate with pictures. Today we speak about communicating with words.

Listen carefully to today's episode and you'll discover the strategies and framework that architect Ricardo Álvarez‐Díaz has used to build a successful practice. You'll also discover: Why the clients you don't work for is as important (perhaps more important) than the clients you do work for How to recognize the "right" clients who will help you grow your practice Why being decisive is an essential attribute of a good leader Why he says that the traditional business model of architecture is dying (or even already dead)

In today's episode we speak with a remarkable entrepreneur, educator and architect. Ricardo Álvarez‐Díaz is the founding principal of Álvarez‐Díaz & Villalón, an award-winning architecture and interior design practice with offices in San Juan Puerto Rico and Miami Florida. Álvarez‐Díaz is President of the Puerto Rico Builders Association. He serves as the founding Co-Chair of the local Urban Land Institute (ULI) district council and is on the Board of Directors of Invest Puerto Rico, a non-profit organization established in 2017 to promote the island's economic development. He teaches a course on entrepreneurship at the School of Architecture, Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico and frequently writes on the topics of leadership, sustainability, and business. With his wife and business partner, Cristina Villalón, he co-sponsors the Álvarez-Díaz & Villalón Fund at the University of Notre Dame, of which he is a graduate. If you're looking for inspiration on running an impactful practice, you're going to love today's interview with Ricardo Álvarez‐Díaz - he holds nothing back as he shares the triumphs and challenges of growing his successful design firm in Puerto Rico. In today's episode, you'll discover how he transitioned from being an employee to running his own firm. You'll discover his formula for getting the right projects and clients, even in an economic downturn. You'll learn about the 3 "i's" that chart the path for growing your business, and around the 16 minute mark of this episode Álvarez‐Díaz sums up 4 years of business insights and growth in 30 seconds. Now if you enjoy today's episode, I've love it if you leave a review on iTunes. If you don't have an iPhone you can visit iTunes.com on your computer. When you leave a review, I'll recognize you on the air here to the thousands of Business of Architecture faithful.